Let's build a Scarecrow for the Garden

 I always place a scarecrow in my patio garden ~

Welcome everyone! Today I wanted to talk about making scarecrows and decorating your garden with them. Now I think scarecrows are fun and I'm a big kid at heart, so I enjoy decorating my back garden with a scarecrow all year long. It's true... I keep a scarecrow out all year long as my patio mascot. For the last few years I've had a man scarecrow but this year I'm going with a female scarecrow. Ha! Now keep reading because I'm going to give you some scarecrow building tips.

"National Build a Scarecrow Day"

Did you know our calendar has a "National Build a Scarecrow Day"? We do! It's celebrated every year on the 1st Sunday in July. So as tradition goes... this is when I update and freshen up my scarecrow in honor of the holiday. But as I stated above... I keep my scarecrow up all year as a decoration not just for the garden growing season. So in honor of the scarecrow here's some tips on building them.

Create your own Scarecrow

Making your very own scarecrow to sit on your front porch for the fall season is a very easy thing to do.  The main thing you need is old clothes that you don't mind getting wet or stained from the harsh elements outside.

 

• What to use for clothes: The most common clothes used are old blue jeans or bluejean overalls and a old button up flannel shirt.  Get yourself a pack of large safety pins to help you attach the shirt to the pants so you can stuff your scarecrow really good.  You will also need a pair of gloves to attach to the arms unless you want the straw stuffing to be the hands and.......Don't forget the straw hat now!
  

• What to use for stuffing:  The most common item to use to stuff your scarecrow is pinestraw. Maybe your lucky enough to be able to rake up your own pinestraw from your yard. (or even hay)  A way to cheat the stuffing process is to save up your 1/2 gallon plastic milk jugs and use them to help you stuff.  Wash them really well and use them to stuff down the legs of your scarecrow as a filler between the rest of the stuffing that your using.  This method also makes your scarecrow light in weight and easy to move around.  If your worried about your scarecrow taking a runner..... then think about filling up the milk jugs that actually sit at the bottom of the pants leg full of water or sand to weigh it down.  This will keep his feet in place. Now stuff stuff stuff as tight as you can.
  

• What to use for the head: There are many different ways to make your scarecrows head.  The idea of using a gallon milk jug comes to mind or even a pumpkin or a gourd.  Retail stores now sale pumpkin shaped trash bags that you can stuff and decorate your yards with.  These trash bags make a easy head for your scarecrow and the face is already there for you.  Another simple thing to do is to stuff an old pillow case and tuck it in the neck of the flannel shirt.  Don't forget to attach it with the safety pins.  Buckets and flower pots also work just great as heads too. I've actually used the flower pot version myself and I loved the flower pot version. You can plant a plant in the pot and the leaves look like hair. Remember to have paint so you can create that famous scarecrow face for flat surface options.
  

• Helpful Tips:  Use string and rope to help you tie off the opening of the arms and legs so the stuffing doesn't fall out.  Stuffing will always settle in time so as your stuffing your scarecrow, shake it down several times so it will pack really tight.
  

• Extra Fun: Having a Mr. Scarecrow is the most common thing to have but for some extra fun.... why not make a Mrs. Scarecrow to go with him.  Use your imagination and see what you can come up with.

The scarecrow had a purpose

and an important one back in the old days.  In this day and time the scarecrow is not only used in our gardens for a practical purpose but it is put there for the whimsical and fun look that it gives our gardens. The scarecrows rough and ragged appearance can be fun and funny or it can be scary in hopes of protecting our food that's growing in our gardens.  The Scarecrow is one of the most familiar figures not only in the United States but throughout Europe and many other countries of the world.  The scarecrow has worldwide popularity.

Decorating with a Scarecrow

In the fall, when the air is cool and the leaves begin to get crisp, you will always find door steps and front porches protected by the fun scarecrow.  It is so popular that seeing a home without a scarecrow is actually unusual.  Kids and adults both love to build scarecrows and it has to be one of the greatest family projects that any family could ever think of sharing.  In fact many families make the scarecrow part of a yearly tradition when it comes to making them.

Hot Dog posts on their way

Good morning everyone,

I wanted to let my readers know what to expect on the blog for this week. In honor of July being National Hot Dog Month I thought it would be fun to do a run of hot dog related posts for you. What I have planned so far is a post about National Hot Dog Month itself to kick it off, then I want to do a few posts about different types of hot dogs like "danger dogs, Chicago dogs, Michigan dogs. I will also go into the different types of toppings and condiments too, I think. Who knows really what I will post. lol!

According to The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC), Americans consume about 20 billion hot dogs every year. Further statistics by the Council reveal how Americans feel about the hot dog:

• 95% of American homes eat hot dogs
• The average U.S. resident consumes about 70 hot dogs per year

I wanted to do these hot dog posts for everyone because July is such a huge time for grilling hot dogs. It's all going to start on July 4th for Independence Day. That's the day all of America grills out for sure. It's an outdoor celebration day. And because of the stats that say 95% of American homes eat hot dogs all throughout the year.

I'm hoping these posts will help everyone plan for the holidays ahead.

If this interests you, then keep an eye out. Wink~

Have a great day! "Live everyday like a Holiday" Pam

The Benefits and uses of Dandelion

 I Worked with Dandelion today

I spent the whole day today doing yard work. I had grass to cut I had weed eating to do and weeds to pull. I didn't think I would ever get it all finished but I did. Ha! Before I started my work though I went around the yard and collected up all the dandelion blooms I could find. I couldn't stand the thought of my lawn mower munching them up when I knew how beneficial they are to our health. 

So today I wanted you to see the long list of benefits and uses of Dandelion. It really is important to keep these things in the back of your mind. You never know when it would be useful. Dandelion grows wild in the yard just like a weed. And what most people don't realize is Dandelions are thought to have evolved about 30 million years ago. The benefits of dandelion have been known for a long long time.

List of Benefits and uses of Dandelion 

Dandelion root and leaf is a classic bitter liver tonic herb. Along with Oregon grape root bark, gentian root, and wormwood leaves, dandelion stimulates digestion, stimulates the liver to produce more bile. This action cleanses the liver and gall bladder.

• The same pesky weed known for ruining lawns has a long history of being used as a healing herb in cultures around the globe. One cup of raw dandelion greens provides 535 percent of the RDA of vitamin K and 112 percent of the RDA for vitamin A. Dandelion greens are also a good source of vitamin C, calcium, iron, fiber, and potassium. Among all foods, it’s one of the richest sources of vitamin A; among all green vegetables, it’s one of the best sources of beta-carotene.
• to treat hepatitis, kidney, and liver disorders such as kidney stones, jaundice, and cirrhosis. It’s routinely prescribed as a natural treatment for hepatitis C, anemia, and liver detoxification (poor liver function has been linked to numerous conditions, from indigestion and hepatitis to irritability and depression). As a natural diuretic, dandelion supports the entire digestive system and increases urine output, helping flush toxins and excess salt from the kidneys. The naturally occurring potassium in dandelions helps prevent the loss of potassium that can occur with pharmaceutical diuretics.
• as a bitter tonic in atonic dyspepsia, and as a mild laxative in habitual constipation. When the stomach is irritated and where active treatment would be injurious, the decoction or extract of Dandelion administered three or four times a day, will often prove a valuable remedy. It has a good effect in increasing the appetite and promoting digestion.
• combined with other active remedies has been used in cases of dropsy and for induration of the liver, and also on the Continent for phthisis and some cutaneous diseases. A decoction of 2 OZ. of the herb or root in 1 quart of water, boiled down to a pint, is taken in doses of one wineglassful every three hours for scurvy, scrofula, eczema and all eruptions on the surface of the body.
• For gallbladder Inflammation (Cholecystitis): Mix 125 ml of dandelion juice and 125 ml of watercress juice. Take twice daily along with a vegetarian diet.
• Diabetes: Dandelion juice can help diabetic patients by stimulating the production of insulin from the pancreas, keeping the blood sugar level low.
• They are excellent liver and kidney tonics that help reduce the body’s toxic burden.
• promotes digestive health by stimulating bile production, resulting in a gentle laxative effect. Inulin, a naturally occurring soluble fiber in dandelion, further aids digestion by feeding the healthy probiotic bacteria in the intestines; it also increases calcium absorption and has a beneficial effect on blood sugar levels, therefore being useful in treating diabetes. Both the dandelion leaves and root are used to treat heartburn and indigestion. The pectin in dandelion relieves constipation and, in combination with vitamin C, reduces cholesterol. Dandelion is excellent for reducing edema, bloating, and water retention; it can also help reduce high blood pressure. On top of all that, dandelion contains multiple antidiarrheal and antibacterial properties.
• In Chinese medicine, dandelion is used in combination with other herbs to treat hepatitis and upper respiratory tract infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia. The sap from the stem and root is a topical remedy for warts. Imagine — all this from a lowly weed!
• Leukemia: dandelion root extract is unique, and is one of the only things found to help with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia.
• Cancer: Dandelion root extract target only the cancer cells, which is not true with chemotherapy pharmaceuticals that kill everything in their paths. In a 2008 study on breast and prostate cancer cells, researchers found that dandelion leaf extract slowed the growth of breast cancer cells and stopped the spread of prostate cancer cells. It can be a non-toxic therapy for leukemia, breast cancer, prostate cancer and even drug-resistant forms of cancer.
• Breast Cancer: Dandelion leaf tea was shown to decrease breast cancer cells. Researchers tested dandelion leaf tea on prostate cancer cells and found similar results.
• Prostate Cancer: The findings on prostate cancer were corroborated by a report published in 2011 by the International Journal of Oncology, which shows that a dietary supplement containing dandelion as one ingredient suppresses the growth of prostate cancer cells.
• Pancreatic Cancer: Dandelion root extract was found to kill aggressive, treatment-resistant human pancreatic cancer cells without harming non-cancerous cells.
• Melanoma: Dandelion root extract was clinically proven in 2011 to specifically induce apoptosis in chemo-resistant melanoma (a type of skin cancer)—without toxicity to healthy cells.
• helps increase the amount of urine the body produces, which is believed to help dilute the components that contribute to the formation of Kidney Stones (Renal Calculi)
• Source of Beta-Cryptoxanthin
• Detox: Not only will it help cleanse the bowel and causes diuresis but it also has a detoxifying effect on the functions of the liver and the gall bladder. There have been several studies conducted on this particular plant and it showed that it help remove the toxins.
• Source of Inulin prebiotic.
• Special Precautions of Dandelion / See - Wikiwel

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► 🛒 ❤ Dandelion / https://amzn.to/3xWATEo

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My Basting Butter Sauce Recipes

 Friends I've collected up several butter sauce recipes over the years that's perfect for Holidays and special occasions. 

Butter sauces are popular when cooking seafoods such as lobster right. Thin butter sauces are used to baste the food with or for dipping seafood in. Thick butter sauces are popular poured over vegetables such as corn, potatoes and asparagus. Butter sauces are even popular tossed in pasta. One of my favorite ways to use butter sauce is with everything cooked on the grill. And everybody's favorite way is tomato paste butter sauce to dip pizza in! That's why I wanted to share with you these really easy ingredients to spark up your next celebration. Below I have listed about 10 basting butter sauces.

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Basting Lemon Butter Sauce

perfect for seafood or breads

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

1/4 teaspoon Paprika

salt and pepper to taste

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Butter Sauce for Pizza Dipping

perfect for pizza or basting meat, veggies & bread on the grill

1/2 cup salted melted butter

1/2 cup tomato paste, pizza sauce, or spaghetti sauce

1 teaspoon Italian oregano

For hot butter sauce add 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

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Ohhh Yeah!

 My Basting BBQ Butter Sauce

Perfect for basting lobster, or any food cooked on the grill.

This is a real favorite of mine because I grill a lot!

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup of BBQ sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Melt butter and add lemon juice and BBQ sauce.

Salt and pepper to taste

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Basting Basil Butter

Perfect for basting lobster or tossing pasta in

Also try over corn on the cob or mashed potatoes

6 Tbs butter, melted

2 cloves of garlic - minced

1 Tbs. dried basil

salt and pepper to taste

In the same saucepan, combine the butter, garlic and basil and simmer 2-3 minutes.

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My Dark Basting Butter

Perfect for basting lobster or beef

1/2 cup of butter melted

juice of 2 lemons

2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

6 drops of tobacco

salt and ground pepper

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Ginger Basting Butter Sauce

Perfect for basting lobster or chicken

1 Cup (2 sticks) butter

1/4 cup dry sherry

1/4 cup light soy sauce

2 garlic cloves minced or pressed

2 tbs grated fresh ginger

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  My Lime Pepper Dipping Sauce

Perfect for basting lobster or chicken.

Fantastic basted on roasted potatoes.

Lime Pepper dipping sauce is so easy to make.

Just add 1 tablespoon of lime pepper to:

1/4 cup of mayonnaise

1/4 cup of sour cream

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup of chicken stock

salt & pepper to taste

Here's a tip for you: Try this as a basting sauce on the grill too!

I do it all the time. You can adjust how thick or thin you want it by how much chicken stock you use. I like it best on chicken and fish.

Note: Lemon Pepper is just as good as Lime Pepper.

Variations

• If I'm using this sauce for "grilled pork" I like to add 4 tablespoons of catchup to the mix.
  

• If I'm using this sauce for "grilled beef" I like to add 4 tablespoons of any BBQ sauce to the mix.
  

You must cover and refrigerate.

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Butter Sauce for baked Asparagus

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat, and stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Pour over the baked asparagus to serve.

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Boiled Lobster with Pepper Butter

remember this the next time you make a lobster roll sandwich

Great as a bread dip

4 lobsters (about 1 1/2 pounds each)

1/2 pound unsalted butter

4 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons fresh-ground black pepper

 

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the lobsters, covered, until just done, about 10 minutes after the water returns to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a medium stainless-steel saucepan, melt the butter. Remove the pan from the heat and add the lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper. Divide the butter among four small bowls. Serve the lobsters with the pepper butter for dipping.

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Lobster Newburg Sauce

Perfect for hot cooked rice or pasta

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 cup heavy cream

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

2 cups chopped boiled lobster

2 tablespoons dry sherry

3 cups cooked rice

PREPARATION:

In top of a double boiler directly over heat source, melt butter; remove from heat. Add flour, stirring until smooth. Stir in salt, nutmeg, and paprika.

Gradually stir in cream. Put back on heat; bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat and simmer, stirring, for 3 minutes longer. Stir a little of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks, then pour back into the pan. Place top of double boiler over a pan of hot water over medium-low heat. Add lobster to the sauce, cooking and stirring until mixture is thickened and lobster is heated through, about 10 minutes. Stir in sherry. Serve lobster Newburg over hot cooked rice.

Note: If you don't like lobster then leave it out or replace it with other seafood or something else such as chicken.

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Apple Butter Dipping Sauce for Dessert Bread

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 cup melted butter

2 tablespoon powdered sugar

salt to taste

dash of cinnamon to taste

You can also make pineapple and peach the same way

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I hope this was helpful - "Live everyday like a holiday." Pam

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► 🛒 ❤ Butter Sauce / https://amzn.to/3NpfOIr

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Talk Time Tuesday

A big sunny welcome to all my readers for another "Talk Time Tuesday" where we talk about what's to come, where we've been and what to do next. Wink~

Coffee Time ~

Oh my goodness what am I doing up at 3am in the morning. My flavor of coffee today is "Raspberry" & it is delicious! I made it very strong & I used heavy cream. I think you guys already know that I have a great love for hot drinks. Be it coffee, tea or whatever.

Today's Holiday Tab ~

I wanted to let you know of a new TAB that I added at the top of the blog. It's titled "Todays Holiday" and it will list a holiday being celebrated somewhere in the world for the day. This content will update each day from thefreedictionary.com. Always fun to learn~

Recipes ~ 

Friends I have posted several new recipes to the blog this month to honor June so if you're new and love cooking then make sure you visit my recipe section. I posted a few desserts that I'm sure you would enjoy / like matcha brownies, black forest cake and I posted 12 sour cream dip recipes for all those holiday parties or summer bashes! Also this month I posted a blast from the past. Do you remember what a 4 Layer Delight is? Remember it's that cold chocolate pudding dessert that was so popular 30 years ago. Now I even talked turkey this month too. Mainly because June was National Turkey Lovers Month. 

Frogs ~

I have had so much fun watching my tree frogs that live in my kitchen window area. (on the outside) lol / They crawl around on my window and enjoy the water-spray when it's time for me to water my flowers that's on my window ledge. At first it was just 1. Then she found herself a boyfriend. Now she has another boyfriend. So I have 3 silver-white tree frogs that's loving my window. I've made a few videos of them and put on my youtube channel.

Never let your cat and your open laptop in a room unattended. 

Grrrrrr... I was in the middle of writing an article and I was just about finished when I heard thunder so I ran outside to collect up some things I didn't want to get wet. While I was out my Winky cat decided she was going to help me write the article I guess. She must of pranced all over the laptop because I had so much stuffed typed up till it took me forever correcting all of it. When I came back in the house she had finished and was happily taking a nap on top of my laptop. Bad girl!

We say Goodbye to June and Hello to July

I'm sad that June is over. I have always loved the month of June because of the beautiful celebration of Spring reaching its end & Summer taking over. I just love that cross over period. But July will bust wide open in a few days & the July 4th celebrations will begin.

Busted Water Pipes ~

I may be sad to see June go but I'm not sad to see my water pipe problems gone. Nope, I've had to go 2 weeks with no water while my repairs were dealt with. Had to even cut the floor out to get to the break. Grrrr... I think things will be ok now though. July will be better.

What to do next ~

Don't miss it! / get ready now for it / The 1st Sunday in July is Build A Scarecrow Day so you don't have long to prepare. It's traditional for farmers to make scarecrow displays for fun but also to protect their crops from birds and animals. Well this tradition became so popular until everyone builds scarecrows on this day not just farmers. Now I know for a fact there's a lot of people who planted gardens this year so if you planted a garden too then plan a Scarecrow building party and build yourself a garden mascot. Come on everyone let's have some fun. I'm going to do it and I only have a small little patio garden. If nothing else guys, make sure you watch for all the posts on social media / your going to see some really unique and funny pictures of scarecrow displays.

Thank you friends for visiting

I'm looking forward to sharing a new month with everyone. So goodbye June and Hello July. Sending big hugs and blessings to everyone. Pam

Healthy Salmon and steamed veggies & then there's the Cream Sauce

When you try to go healthy, but you know how good a delicious cream sauce would be on top of fresh Salmon.

I can't tell you how many times I've tried to go healthy and cooked a salmon steak with healthy steamed veggies on the side and arranged it so beautifully in the plate... then taken 2 bites and said.... "I can't do this." LOL! Then I quickly simmered together a cream sauce to pour over my salmon. I mean really!!! "I can't waste this taste opportunity". I can't get the idea out of my head. Ha~

Then I pore the cream sauce on the plate, and look at it, I know how yummy that same cream sauce is when it's poured over potatoes. (yep, I was going for a healthy meal and intentionally planed to leave out the potatoes.) You guessed it. If I've got the sauce I need those potatoes so I cook them too. When my belly is full I'm in supper time heaven. That's how it always is when I try to cook healthy salmon with steamed veggies. The cream sauce gets me every time.

My Creamy Wine Sauce for Salmon

• Start by heating 2 tablespoon of Alvacado oil, olive oil or vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a fry pan. (yes more butter if you want)
• Add 4 small salmon fillets skin side down.
• Pan sear both sides of salmon for 2 minutes on each side.
• Turn fillets back over to skin side down.
• Then add the crushed garlic and stir. (medium heat)
• Add 1/4 cup white wine & stir. (medium heat) Yes you can leave it out.
• Then add your 1/4 cup chicken stock and stir. (medium heat)
• Now briefly remove the salmon fillets from the skillet.
• Now pore 1/3 cup of heavy cream and stir. (medium heat)
• Now pore 1/3 cup of yogurt and stir. (medium heat)
• Add 1/4 mayonnaise and stir. (low heat)
• Add 3 T of parmesan cheese. (low heat)
• Add salt & pepper to taste.
• Simmer sauce to thicken... maybe 3 minutes
• Now choose / either put salmon back in sauce and baste it / or pore over salmon steaks on plate / or pore up in dipping cups

Here's the best tip for anyone making this sauce.

Learn to "Just Use What You've Got!" It really doesn't matter about the liquid part. If you have more than 1 just use it, If you have less than 1 then use it. Just remember you do need some kind of cream for the recipe. Afterall it's not a cream sauce without the cream. Wink~ If you hate yogurt then leave it out. The taste will always turn out great no matter. If you want more butter then use it. If you don't have it then leave it out. If you love sweet wine then use it. If your against wine all together then leave it out. You don't have parmesan cheese? Well what kind of cheese do you have? Use it. Just remember to only change the portions slightly.

When you work with what you've got... the thickness will change slightly and the flavor will change slightly but all of the above will taste great. One day you make it and it will be thick, the next day you make it, it will be thinner. That's how it works when you use what you've got. I'm a home cook and I'm not precise. I cook by what I've got, I cook by what I like the most and I cook by what I'm craving for the day. lol!

Now here's where you decide if you want fresh herbs.

You can eat the dish right now as a cream sauce or as a creamy wine sauce or you can go another step & add fresh herbs for a creamy herb sauce. You can also add 1/2 cup of spinach to the sauce and simmer for a cream spinach sauce. Here's where you decide what you're craving.

• Add 1 T of lemon thyme from your garden or zest of lemon and stir.
• Add 1/2 T parsley and stir.
• Add 1/2 T basil and stir.
• Add 1/2 T of dill if you want a dill flavor and stir. (low heat)
• Yes, you can add them all if you want. lol

Put salmon back in skillet and simmer for 2 minutes.

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My Closing Thoughts ~

• Cream sauces are really good as a hot bread dip for a party too. Just keep in a small crock pot on low and let your guest ladle it out. Offer several types of bread. Here's a party idea that I posted last week called "No fuss entertaining with 4 Breads and 4 Cheeses". This sauce would work for a party like that too.
• Also... don't get cream sauce for fish & seafood mixed up with butter sauce for fish & seafood. They are both yummy but different. I will do a post for you guys in the future of some butter sauce recipes that I have. I think you would enjoy that too.

I hope this was helpful - "Live everyday like a holiday." Pam

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► 🛒 ❤ Cream Sauce / https://amzn.to/3ymZ3cp

► 🛒 ❤ Butter Sauce / https://amzn.to/3QNLCcJ

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